Among red varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely planted, followed by Syrah (also known here as Shiraz), Merlot and Pinotage. The last of these, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, has largely been abandoned as South Africa’s signature variey, though its total acreage remains high. Today the grape is used primarily for large volume, inexpensive bottlings destined for the European market.

Among the white varieties, Chenin Blanc (sometimes called Steen) remains the most widely planted. It has a long history of use in jug wines, though more and more serious bottlings continue to emerge. Chenin is followed by plantings of the blue-chip Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc grapes, which are on the rise.

South Africa’s strictly legislated Wine of Origin system has been in place since 1973. The system, overseen by the government-run Wine and Spirit Board, defines distinct areas of wine production beginning with the broad designation of “region,” followed by “district” and then “ward.” Currently, South Africa’s wine production areas are divided into five regions, which are subdivided into 22 districts and 56 wards.

Wine bearing the name of a region, district or ward must contain grapes from that area only. Wine bearing a vintage must be made at least 85 percent from grapes of that vintage. A wine whose label bears the name of a variety must contain at least 85 percent that variety. In addition, the Wine and Spirit Board conducts regular inspections of wineries; those that do not adhere to industry regulations are not granted exportation rights.

As a winegrowing region, the Cape is unique. Two oceans—the Atlantic and the Indian—influence its weather. In addition, the Cape’s mountainous topography and myriad soil types allow for numerous microclimates, warm ones and cool ones, which result in a wide range of wines and wine styles.

Some of the Cape’s top districts are presented in this map. Stellenbosch and Paarl remain the qualitative leaders, and each district accounts for about 17 percent of the Cape’s total vineyards, with Stellenbosch the cooler area of the two. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay perform well in both districts. The Walker Bay region, which lies southeast of Cape Town and surrounds the town of Hermanus, features a very cool climate where Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Riesling excel.

Emerging districts such as Cape Point and Cape Agulhas feature coastal climates similar to that of Walker Bay, and their bright, crisp minerally whites are rapidly growing in number. Farther inland, warmer spots such as the Tulbagh and Swartland districts are showing tantalizing results from Syrah and other Rhône varieties such as Cinsault.

Su Birch, CEO of Wines of South Africa (WOSA), received the first of Wine Intelligence’s 10 for 10 Business Awards at ProWein on Tuesday, 6th March.

“In the past ten years, Su has trebled sales [of South African wines] in international markets,” said Felicity Carter, chief editor of Meininger’s Wine Business International, who presented the award. “Beyond the wine trade, Su has been involved in a number of sustainability issues. She has been involved in initiatives to get people from disadvantaged backgrounds into the wine trade, and has an enormous role in promoting sustainability in South Africa.”

Su Birch has held the position of WOSA CEO since May 2000. In that time, she has not only promoted South African wine, but has driven such initiatives as the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative, that has seen producers set aside more land for conservation than the equivalent of the national vineyard, and the Sustainability Seal, an international first that promotes production integrity from vineyard to consumer. Internationally, she has been a key player in bringing New World producers together at ProWein to discuss sustainability. In 2005 Birch was awarded the Lanson Woman In Wine Trophy at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in London. In 2006 the Cape Masters of Wine honoured her as Wine Personality of the Year and in 2009 she was named The Drinks Business’s Woman of the Year.

Birch, however, puts her success down to her colleagues. “I think it’s because I have the best team in the world,” she said.

Created to mark the tenth anniversary of research company Wine Intelligence, the 10 for 10 Business Awards recognise individuals who have made a significant contribution to the global wine trade over the past decade. Present at the awards ceremony were fellow nominees Michael Cox of Wines of Chile, journalist and wine judge Tim Atkin MW, winemaker Etienne Hugel, CEO Ross Brown of Brown Brothers and fellow South African and Chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine, Lynne Sherriff MW.

A total of 30 prominent wine trade figures were nominated by the judging panel and a further nine awards will be given out at a series of 2012 events organised by Wine Intelligence.

45 ml oil
1 onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 green pepper, chopped
3 green chilies, deseeded and chopped
10 ml curry powder
3 medium carrots, grated
1 medium cauliflower or broccoli, divided into florets
1 x 410 g can baked beans in tomato sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Heat oil and sauté onions, garlic, ginger and green pepper with the chilies and curry powder for five minutes.
Add the carrots and cauliflower.
Cook gently for about 15 minutes, or until all vegetables are cooked.
Add beans and seasoning, heat through and allow to cool.

Serve cold.

500g peeled and chopped carrots

2 large peeled and chopped onions

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 Tbsp crushed ginger

1-2 tsp thai red or yellow curry paste

3 cups vegetable stock

1½ cups coconut cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Cooking Instructions:

Gently fry the carrots and onions in the olive oil without browning. Add the garlic, ginger and curry paste. Stir over low heat for one minute. Pour in the stock and coconut cream and simmer for half an hour or until the carrots are very soft. Blend until smooth.
Season with salt and pepper.
Before serving, add an extra bit of coconut cream on the top and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serves 4 people

Sauté:
1 cup ONIONS, chopped
½ tsp. PEPPER
2 tsp. SALT
½ tsp. DRY MUSTARD in
2 oz. BUTTER or MARGARINE.

Add 3 cups COLD STEAMED FISH, cleaned from bones and flaked.
1 8-oz. can TOMATO SAUCE
½ cup MASHED POTATOES and
1 EGG, beaten lightly.

Pack in a buttered 10-inch deep pie dish.
Spread 2 cups MASHED POTATOES over top.
Brush with: 1 EGG beaten, and thinned with
2 Tbs. WATER.
Bake at 350′ for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Cut pie in 8 wedges and serve.

1 kg rice, long grain uncooked
1 kg kingclip fillet, cut into small pieces
1 kg prawns, cut and deveined
3 onions, thinly sliced
sunflower oil
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
200 g button mushrooms, sliced
tobasco sauce
butter

Marinade:

4 tbsp chilli sauce
4 clove(s) garlic, crushed
2 tsp masala
1 tsp salt
1 tsp tobasco sauce

Method:

1. Cook the rice in salted boiling water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Combine all the marinade ingredients and marinate the kingklip and prawns for about 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, fry the onions in a little oil in a very deep frying pan or wok until golden brown.
4. Add the peppers and fry for a further 10 minutes; add mushrooms and fry for a further 5 minutes.
5. Remove from the pan and set aside.
6. Add about 15 ml oil to the frying pan and transfer the marinated kingklip and prawn mixture to the frying pan and stir fry for 10 minutes, or until the prawns turn pink.
7. Layer the ingredients in a large saucepan as follows, first, about one-third rice then half onion and mushroom mixture, then half kingklip and prawn mixture and sprinkle each layer with a few drops of Tabasco sauce, season with salt and dot with butter.
8. Continue this way until all ingredients have been used up.
9. Steam the paella, covered, over a medium heat for 30 minutes.
(Serves 10)

1 kg lean ground lamb
½ cup soft fresh breadcrumbs
½ cup finely chopped onions
2 eggs
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons salt
freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 cup beef stock, fresh or canned
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon cold water

Method

Patties
1. Combine the meat, breadcrumbs, onions, eggs, nutmeg, coriander, salt and a few grindings of pepper in a bowl. Knead vigorously with both hands, then beat with a spoon until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.
2. Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions and shape each one into a round, flattened patty about 3cm thick and 5cm in diameter.
3. In a heavy 25-30cm skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it. Brown the patties in the hot oil, 5 or 6 at a time, turning them with a slotted spatula and regulating the heat so that they color richly and evenly on both sides without burning. As they brown, transfer the patties to a plate.
4. Pour off the fat remaining in the skillet and in its place add the stock. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
5. Return the patties to the skillet.
6. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially and simmer for 30 minutes and remove the frikkadels from the pan.

Sauce
1. Make a smooth paste of the flour and water and whisk it into the remaining liquid in the pan.
2. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens lightly.
3. Pour the sauce over the frikkadels or serve separately.

250ml (1cup) cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
125 milk
125 ml oil for frying

Instructions on how to make it

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. beat egg separately and add to flour. Add milk and mix until smooth heat oil in frying pan and drop a tablespoon of the mixture into oil.

Don’t make more than four at a time.

Fry for two to three minutes on one side, then turn and fry for one minute on other side.
Serve hot.

300 g fillet of fresh salmon, skinned and boned
½ cup (125 ml) white wine
two small sprigs of thyme
a bay leaf
a thumb-length strip of lemon peel
flaky sea salt
milled black pepper
water to cover
200 g smoked salmon or salmon trout
1 cup (250 ml) very finely chopped fresh leeks, white parts only (about three medium leeks)
3 T (45 ml) butter
1 tsp (5 ml) finely grated fresh lemon zest
one large free-range egg, lightly beaten
flaky sea salt and milled black pepper
sunflower oil for frying

For the mashed potatoes:
3 large potatoes (enough to make a cup and a half of mash)
salt
2 T (30 ml) butter
a little hot milk

To coat:
½ cup (125 ml) flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup (250 ml) fresh breadcrumbs

First make the mashed potatoes. Halve the potatoes and put them in a pot of cold water, with a big pinch of salt.

Turn on the heat, bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes, or until they are quite tender. Drain in a colander until cool enough to handle.

Slip the peels off the potatoes and place them back in the pan. Add the butter and hot milk and mash until smooth and fluffy. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.

Put the salmon in a pan just wide enough to contain the whole piece. Add the white wine, one thyme sprig, the bay leaf, lemon peel and a generous pinch of sea salt.

Now add just enough water to cover the salmon. Set the timer on your stove to 9 minutes, turn the heat on under the pan and bring gently up to just below boiling point. Now cover the pot and simmer for 9 minutes.

Remove the lid and, using the tip of a knife, poke a small hole through the salmon. If it’s still raw on the inside, poach it for another few minutes, or until it is just done. (How long this takes will depend on the thickness of your salmon piece; the important thing is that you don’t allow the water to boil.)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ pounds boneless lamb shoulder cut into chunks
1 large onion, peeled and cut into slices
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
6 medium-sized firm ripe tomatoes, peeled and cut crosswise into slices
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh hot chilies
2 whole cloves
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Method:

1. In a heavy 10 to 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it. Add the lamb and brown it a few pieces at a time. Turn the pieces frequently with a slotted spoon and regulate the heat so that they color richly and evenly without burning. As the lamb browns, transfer the pieces to a plate.

2. Pour off and all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet and drop in the onion slices and the garlic. Stirring frequently and scraping in any brown particles that cling to the bottom of the pan, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft and golden brown. Stir in the tomatoes, chilies, cloves, sugar and salt, then add the lamb and any juices that have accumulated around it.

3. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible point, cover tightly, and cook the bredie for 1 hour, stirring it from time to time to prevent the vegetables and lamb from sticking to the pan. Remove the cover and, stirring and mashing the tomatoes occasionally, simmer for 30 to 40 minutes longer or until the lamb is very tender and most of the liquid in the pan has cooked away. The sauce should be thick enough to hold its shape almost solidly in the spoon.

Taste for seasoning. Pick out and discard the cloves and serve the bredie at once from a heated platter, accompanied by hot boiled rice.